In response to the Swedish group “Sodra” and its plans to sell forest properties and the associated businesses in the Baltic states, “Stiga RM”, one of Latvia's leading timber industry companies, is calling for this historic opportunity to be seized and for Latvian land to be reclaimed from foreign owners. The company supports the proposal to create a new, partly state-owned company that would raise capital for this purpose through the stock exchange, and has announced its readiness to invest 500,000 euros in buying back land as part of this potential project.

“At present we have been given a rare and possibly unique chance to reclaim significant areas of Latvian land. Setting up a state-backed company would make it possible to combine the potential of public and private investment, providing the funding needed to buy the land back,” says Andris Ramoliņš, owner and chairman of the board of “Stiga RM”, stressing that it is important to take this opportunity, because forest resources are the foundation of a sustainable economy, and reclaiming them will strengthen our country's security and independence.

“I am ready to commit my own private funds to this goal as well, and I know that many people would be willing to invest their savings in an investment project of this kind. I would also be glad to see my family's 2nd and 3rd pillar pension savings go into this deal. It would be not only a patriotic and nationally sound decision, but also a financially advantageous investment that pays off in the future,” A. Ramoliņš believes.

“Stiga RM” calls on the Ministry of Agriculture to take the initiative and become actively involved in this process, in order to ensure that Latvian land passes into the ownership of local companies and residents.